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Video: How To Optimize Your Social Media Program for Pinterest

In the latest installment of the Merkle|RKG social media series, Copywriter Price Thomas returns to talk about some of the main reasons brands should pay attention to growing social platform, Pinterest, and the important role the network can play in a social marketing mix.

Price Thomas: Welcome back to the RKG Social Media Series. This week we're going to take on Pinterest, the social network that gives users the ability to design and organize their ideal lifestyles and then share them with their family and friends. It's where inspiration meets aspiration.

At the present Pinterest doesn't quite get the same amount of love as the other big three social networks. The platform currently has between 40 and 50 million active users, 80% of whom are female. The fastest growing demographic on Pinterest is actually young men, however, the platform remains most popular among middle-aged, affluent females. Even though Pinterest has enjoyed rapid growth recently, its user base is still dwarfed by these big three social networks -- Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. But size isn't everything, my friends.

Pinterest has a leg up on these other social networks on one very important metric, and that's revenue per click. Simply stated, Pinterest has more buying power. So much so that Pinterest generates four times more revenue per click than Twitter and 27% more than Facebook.

Speaking of revenue, which gender do you think makes the most consumer purchase decisions? You're absolutely right, unless you guessed males. It's not us, guys. In fact, it's estimated that women make 85% of consumer purchase decisions, making Pinterest a vital part of your social marketing puzzle, especially if you're a brand that specializes in food, decor, or clothing. These are the most popular categories on Pinterest with pinners ravenously curating boards about their favorite recipes, their dream homes, and also their favorite outfits.

According to Pinterest analytics firm, Tailwind, the best days to pin are Thursdays and Saturdays, and the most effective times of day to pin are between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. Platform analytics also tell us that brands should post between 5 and 10 times a day for maximum engagement. That said, we always recommend that once you've gathered enough data about your target audience, you tailor your strategy accordingly so that you're posting when your audience is most ready to consume.

It should come as no surprise that pinners love engaging with their favorite brands. Repin, like, comment on other pinners' posts to increase the engagement with your boards.

Pinterest has another distinct advantage over other social platforms in that its content has a longer shelf life. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram content is ephemeral. We scroll through our feeds until we've seen something that we've seen before and then we're off. Pinterest content lives on longer. Thirty percent of clicks come through 30 days and beyond the original pin date.

Well, that's all I've got for you this time. Make sure to check back with us soon. George will be back to walk us through Pinterest internal search and how to best leverage its functionality to ensure that your content is discoverable within the network. As always, make sure to subscribe to the RKG blog and our YouTube channel, RKGDigital. And if you haven't already, check out the Q1 Digital Marketing Report for more industry insights. See you next time.